Apparatus for feeding articles to mail treating machines



C. D. RYAN ETAL APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ARTICLES T0 MAIL TREATING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 21, 1944.

Filed Oct. 1, 1941 March 1944- c. D. RYAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TO MAIL TREATING MACHINES Filed Oci. l, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INIVENTOR PE 0. R AN P. DQAA E.

m y 944. c. D. RYAN ET AL.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TO MAIL TREATINr MACHINES Filed Oct. 1, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 A YEM W 1 .2 mb wm v mmfi nmm 0D L .L l L.i ,J

March 21,-1944. Q 51 YA ETAL 25,344,643

- APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TO MAIL TREATING MACHINES Fil'ed Oct. 1, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 50 [OM/APO P. DRAKE.

\\ 74 Emma-m ma ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 21, 1944 UNITED STATE PATENT oFFrc-n poration-of Delaware Application October 1, 1941-, Serial No. 413322 s oiaims. (ci..271.-44

This invention relates to a feeding device for a mail treating machine.

One of the objects of this invention is't'o provide a feeding device fora mail treatin achine which is of simple and sturdy construction, and which is capable of efliciently guiding. sealed or unsealed envelopes, cards and the. like to the feeding mechanism of the mail treatin machine. Another object is to provide a feeding device of the above nature capable of accommodating articles Of varying size, shape and thickness in such a manner that such articles are not .jammed in the machine, but are successively and rapidly fed thereto for the treatment desired; Another object is to provide a device of the above character by which successive articles of substantial thickness may be rapidly fed into the mail treating machine without such articles, because of their thickness, becoming damaged or jamming the machine. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter;

The invention accordingly consistsinthe features of construction, combination of elements, arrangements of parts, andin the several steps and relation and order of. each of. the same to i.

one or more of the others, all: as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope ofthe application of Whichwill be-indicatecl in-the following claims.

In the drawings wherein there is shown one embodiment of our invention,

Figure l is aperspeetiveview of the feed hopper endofa mail treating machine, showin the hopper adjusted for feeding: envelopes without sealing them;

Figure 2 is. a schematic view of a portion of the machine shownin' Figure l, illustratingone of: the adjustments of: the feed hopper fordirecting the pressure of the envelopes on the mechanism which feeds the envelopes into the machine;

Figure: 3 is a sectional view taken along the-line 3-4 in Figure 2, showing thedisposition of' the envelopes when they are not uniformly stuffed;

Figure 4' is aview similar to Figure 3, showing how the weight of: th envelope stack may be shifted to direct the pressureof theenvelopes on the. mechanism which feeds-them into the machine;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the machine, certain portions being broken away to show-aporti'on of the-mechanism which feeds theen'velopes-into the machine;

Figure fiiisatopplan vle'wof Figure 5;

Figure!- is a section taken along the final-=4 of'Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a section taken alongtheline' 8 ----8' of Figure 6', showing the dispositioriof envelopes which-are not to be sealed;

Figure 9 is'a section similar to'Figure 8 but showin the inclinationof a stack of envelopes with their flaps open and nested for sealing;

- Figure 10 is a section taken along the line l0'-I|.'I of Figure-6;

; Figure L1 is a,- section takerr along the line I l-4i of Figure l0;

Figure 12 is a viewsimilarto Figure llshowing some o'fthe parts in an adjusted. position for accommodating? occasional thicker mail;

Figure 13 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the mechan'mm shown in Figure 10;.

. Figurem is an. enlargedi-ragmentary elevation of anportion of themechanism shown in Figure 1 1; and,

. Figure 154s asideelevation of the device shown in Figure 1.4.

,[- Similar reference characters referv tosimilar parts throughoutthe several views of the drawtings.

Mail treatingmachines of the. typeunder consideration are usually.- provided with. a magazine or hopper in which the mail to be treated, i. e. stamped orsealed, or both, is stacked. The machine is also provided with af'riction feed device which successively removes the lowermost envelope from the stack and feeds it to conveyin'g apparatus which in turn carries it through the machine. The leading nd or the hopper is usually provided with a stripping device which insures the removal of but one envelope at a time from .thebottomof the stack.

The friction feeding device referred to above is usually positioned at the" bottom of the" en"- velope hopper such a manner that the elements of the feeding device which engage the "envelope aredisposed centrally ofthe narrowest envelope the machine' is designed to treat. newever, as the machine must be capable of treatingv envelopes ofvarying widths, the magazine should be adjustable, audio-most cases isad .iustable: on? one: side *only'tdrecei've trieenveiopes of different. widths. Thus when envelopes? of substantial width areplac'ed'irr the hopper, the friction feeding elements contact such wider envel fi 1 O si eof th n md na-t ente thereon and;v as ,the stack or envelopes ar'egsupported on the: table of the maohine, substantial frictional resistance is present.between'the bottom of the. lowermost envelopes-and; tlietopiot envelopes of varying width. Such hoppers are,

accordingly, usually provided-with a front plate which is movable toward and away from the friction feeding elements, and usually some sort of frictional device is employed to hold the front plate in its adjusted position. This frictional retention of the front plate, however, is often inconvenient, as the plate can readily be pushed out of adjustment through inadvertence, either causing the envelopes to jam in the hopper, or leaving too much clearance between the envelopes and front plate, with the result that they are improperly guided into the machine. I

Still further, it is noted that mailing machines of this type usually employ a stripperdevice, which device may be adjusted to any letter thickness within a given range. Usually the greater majority of. letters are relatively thin and hence are substantially uniform in thickness. Consequently the setting of the stripper device is maintained in the position for mail of average thickness. Occasionally, however, a number of ienvelopesthicker than average are fed through the magazine and accordingly unless the position of thestripper device is changed, the thicker envelopes are apt to be damaged passing therethrough or jam in the hopper unless the adjustment of the stripper device is changed. This is, of course, inconvenient as after the heavier pieces are fed through, it is necessary again to change the adjustment of the stripper so that the thinner envelopes can be fed singly therethrough.

1 As noted above,these mail treating machines "are called on to handle envelopes which are both sealed and unsealed. Where the envelopes are unsealed and with their flaps hanging down,

the envelopes are nested in a stack so that the flaps hang downwardly from the bodies of the envelopes; This causes the stack to incline toward the-rear of the machine and space must be provided to accommodate the depending flaps. This flap space, however, may be a source of in- "convenience or worse, however, when sealed envelopes, or envelopes with their. flaps tucked inside, are stacked in the hopper, as under such circumstances it is preferable that the stack be vertical, i. e., if the stack has no inclination toward the rear of the machine.

7 It is accordingly another object ofthis invention to provide an envelope feeding device capable ofobviating the above diificulties in a thoroughly practical and efficient manner. v

The followingis a description of certain feature's, namely the envelope guiding and a part of the envelope feeding mechanism of the mail treatingmachine, generallyindicated at IIJ in Figure 1. Other aspects of this machine are particularly described in certain copending applications as follows: Commodore D. Ryan and Edward P. Drake, Serial No. 399,324, filed June 23, 1941, which is directed to the envelope trip and the mechanism controlled thereby. I

Commodore D. Ryan, Serial No. 388,770, filed April 16, 1941, which is directed to apparatus for the handling of envelopes and the like.

Commodore D. Ryan, Serial No. 363,257, filed October 29, 1940, which is directed to mechanism which feeds envelopes and the like one at a time into the mail treating. machine for treatment thereof. j

Commodore D. Ryan and Edward P. Drake,

Serial No. 413,120, filed October 1, 1941, which is directed primarily to the conveyor system of the I mail treating machine.

Commodore D. Ryan and Edward P. Drake, Serial No. 413,121, filed October 1, 1941, which is directed primarily to the control system of the mailing machine for adjusting the machine either for stamping postage on envelopes or on tape.

Thus, the several above-noted applications together disclose in its entirety the mailing machine IO, with the exception of the meter- (not shown herein) which prints postage on the envelopes or the tape, as the case may be. This meter is described in detail in the application of Frank P. Sager et al., Serial No. 332,305, filed April 29, 1940.

Mail treating machine I0 comprises in general a base II having secured atthe top edge a table I2 over which envelopes I3 or the like are conveyed for sealing or stamping, as the case may be. At the left-hand end of table I2, as viewed in Figure 1, is a feed hopper generally indicated at I4, in which the envelopes I3 are stacked, and from which these envelopes are individually and successively fed by a feeding device generally indicated at I00 (Figure 2) through a stripping device generally indicated at I5 to a conveyor system generally indicated at I6 which conveys the envelopes for further treatment.

Feed hopper The feed hopper I 4 includes an adjustable front plate I I secured to a slide bar I8 slid- .ably mounted in a bracket I!) (Figure 11) which releasably holds the slidebar in a manner to be more particularly described hereinafter.

The right-hand side of feed hopper I4, as viewed in Figure 1, is formed by a plate .20 having a vertical upper portion 2| and an inclined portion 22 (Figure 5) the bottom edge 22a of which is provided with an upturned lip or finger guard spaced suificiently above table I2 so as to provide ample clearance for the thickest piece of mail which will be passed along the table. -As is more clearly shown in Figure 10, the rear of feed hopper I 4 is formed by a plate generally indicated at 23, comprising a substantially vertical rearwardly inclined portion 24 which is integrally formed with a forwardly extending por- .gieon 25 and a lower substantially vertical portion As shown in Figure 1, the rear side of feed hopper I4 also includes a. plate 2? which has a rearwardly flared portion 28 (Figure 6) and which is secured to but spaced from a vertically disposed plate 29 as by screws Plate 29 is preferably an integral part of a horizontal plate 3| which extends transverseiy across table I2, and is adjustable longitudinally thereof in a manner to be described.

As shown in Figure 7, plate BI is provided at eac of its opposite edges with a pair of friction plate 31 in any desired position longitudinally t the-tablet Plate 31 may be locked in its adjusted position by tightening a knurled nut 34 threaded on the upper end of a machine screw 35 which extends through one pair of friction strips32 and 33 and through plate 3 I. The left-hand side of hopper I4, as viewed in Figure 1, is formed by an elevator generally indicated at. 36- which comprises a horizontal portion.3l and a elevator plate 38 which bends upwardly to the left of hopper I4. Preferably elevator plate 38 is provided at its upper end with a downwardly turned lip 39 and the righthand. edge 38a ofthis plate is spacedfrom the right-hand edge of plate 3|, see Figure l, to provide a ledge 40-. Ledge 40 is provided to support mailing matter, such as relatively stiff cards, the bottommost of a stack of which accordingly is spaced from table I2 by ledge 40 so as to reduce the friction between the card and table, and accordingly facilitate the stripping thereof from the bottom of the stack by the feeding mechanism (Figure 2).

It may now be seen that feed hopper I4 is essentially formed by front plate I'I, right-hand or leading guide plate 20, rear p1ates23 and 21, and left-hand or elevator plate 35.

As noted above, front plate ll (Figure is adjustable toward and away from rear plate 23 to accommodate envelopes of different width, and to this end plate I1 is mounted on a slide bar I.0I which is slidably disposed in a channel I9a: formed in bracket I9 (see also Figure 11). The width of channel IEIa exceeds the width of slide bar IOI so that Without retention the fit of the bar and channel would be sloppy. This sloppy fit is provided so that when it is desired to adjust the position of front plate 51, the bottom edge I'Ia. of the plate may be raised from table I2 to facilitate adjustment of the plate.

' Bracket I9 has formed therein a; pair of chambers in'which are respectively disposed coiled springs I02 and I03. A third chamber formed in the bracket has a pin IillI extending therethrough on which is pivotally mounted a lock lever I05 provided with a handle Hit extending through a slot I01 in bracket I9 exteriorly of the slot to a position where it is accessible for manipulation. The inner portion of lock lever I05 is flattened; as at I08, this fiat portion being disposed adjacent the top of slide bar II. It will now appear that the width of bracket slot I9a, in relation to the width of slide bar l0I, provides a space I09 which permits the slide bar to be forced upwardly at its right-hand end, as viewed in Figure 10, by the expansion of coil spring I03, while the left-hand end of the slide bar is held down by reason of the expansion of coil spring I02. This raising of the right-hand end of slide bar IOI spaces the bottom edge of front plate H from the top of table I2, and accordingly permits easy adjustment of the front plate toward or away from rear plate 23. When the two plates are properly spaced, lock lever I05 may be forced downwardly by depressing its handle I05, causing the flat face I08' of the lever to rock against the top ofslide bar I0l and force the bar downwardly to partially'collapse spring I03. As spring I02 is also forcing the slide bar downwardly in slot I9a, the bottom of the bar rests against the bottom of the slot, and the frictional engagement therebetween is substantially increased by the wedging action of lock lever I05. The slide bar IOI' is accordingly securely locked in its adjusted position fromwhich it isnot readily moved through inadvertence.

As shown in Figure 1'3, a friction disc H0 is mounted: on pinv I04, thisrdisc being provided with a plurality of fingers II I which press against the side of locking lever I05 so as to retain the lever in its locked or unlocked position.

, At the same time that slide bar IilI is forced downwardly in slot I9a, the bottom edge I'Ia of front plate I1 is forced against the top of table I 2 so that there is no clearance between the plate and the table through which envelope I3 might slip and become jammed. Further to preclude entrance of envelope I3 under frontplate IT, We provide a lip- IIb extending inwardly from the bottom edge of front plate H, which lip, when the plate is properly positioned. underlies the; bottommost envelope I3 of the stack, and accordingly prevents the envelopes from riding between the bottom edge of the front plate [1 and the: top: of table I2.

It may now be seen that front plate I'I' (Figure. 10) is readily adjustable toward or away from back plate 23 so as to suit'thesize of hopper I4 to the width of the envelopes stacked therein. Furthermore, when the front plate is placed. in its adjusted position, it may readily be locked therein against inadvertent displacement through the manipulation of lock lever I05. Furthermore, it will. appear that the locking of the plate in position, through the manipulation of the lock lever, forces the plate down against the top of table I 2 so as positively to preclude the entrance and possible pinching of a letter between the front plate and the table I2.

To facilitatethe feed of a stack of envelopes in. mail treating machine I0, the envelopes, at least at the bottomof the" stack, in the feed hopper should .be shingled so that the envelopes may be individually and. successively grasped and fed from the bottom of the stack with a minimum amount of friction; with respect to the table under the envelope being. fed and the envelope immediately above. Thus as shown in Figure 1, the inclined portion 22 of right-hand plate 20, and the inclination of elevator plate 33 provide this shingling effect; the elevator plate in addition, by reason of the vadjusta'bility of its supporting plate 3|, raising the bottomrn'ost envelope from the surface of table I2 so that only aportion of the envelope engages the table,.thus reducing the friction between. the table andthe envelope as the envelope is fed from the bottom of the stack. As the envelopeimmediately above the one being fed is in shingled relation thereto, it accordingly is separated fromthe' envelope being fed a certain. extent so that its frictional engagement therewith is considerably reduced.

Inasmuch as mailing machine I0, Figure 1, must be capable of handling sealed envelopes, unsealed envelopes with the flaps tucked inside of the envelopes, and unsealed envelopes with the flaps open and depending therefrom, provision is made to accommodate the open flaps when a stack of such unsealed envelopes is disposed in the feed hopper. Where such unsealed envelopes with open flaps are being handled, their flaps I3a (Figure 9) are also in a shingled relation and extend downwardly from table l2 into. the space between plates 28 and 29. The natural inclination of a stack of such unsealed envelopes is to the right, as viewed in Figure 9, and to the left, as viewed in Figure 10, and as the stack of envelopes is depleted through operation of the mail treating machine, the ,descending envelopes are guided into registry with the stripping mechanism I5, Figure 10, by inclined portion 25 of plate 23 so that when the bottommost envelope is ready to be fed through the machine it is in proper position to be handled by the feeding and stripping devices.

Occasionally the entire stack of envelopes is either sealed or the flaps are tucked into the envelopes so that there is no natural inclination of the stack toward the rear of the machine. Under these circumstances a stack of envelopes is substantially vertical, as shown in Figure 8, in which event there is no need of the space between plates 28 and 29. To maintain the stack of envelopes vertical under these conditions, we provide a filler plate generally indicated at 4|, see Figure 5, comprising a supporting blade 42 secured to an angle arm 43 pivotally mounted on one of spacers 30, about which the filler plate may be swung between the full and dotted line positions. Thus, when the filler plate is not required, it may be swung to the full line position beneath table l2, where it is completely out of the way, and when requiredrnay be swungto the dotted line position in this figure, wherein its blade portion 42 (Figure 8) extends vertically from table l2, and accordingly holds the stack of envelopes in the desired vertical position. It should be noted, in connection with Figure 5, that when filler blade 42 is in its operative position, i. e., the dotted line position, it is inclined to the left so as to maintain its engagement with the uppermost of the envelopes which, because of their shingled relationship, overlie one another successively, slightly to the left, as viewed in this figure.

It occasionally occurs that a stack of bulky envelopes have to be fed through hopper l4, such envelopes often being, as shown in Figure 3, heavily filled and accordingly thick adjacent their closed edges I31), and relatively thin at their open edges I30, with the result that adjacent envelopes at their open edges would normally be spaced from one another. This spacing shifts the pressure of the bottommost envelope from portion I2a of the table adjacent the feeding device Hill to portion l2b of the table where it is not desired, with the result that when the envelopes are particularly bulky or of substantial width, there is not much friction between the bottommost envelope and portion I2a of table [2. Thus, as the feeding device feeds the bottommost envelope, there is a tendency for the envelope to twist from its proper position, and either become jammed in the stripping mechanism l5 or be fed therethrough improperly so that the flap is not prop-' erly folded against the rear of the envelope. To redistribute this pressure fromportion l2b of table ii to portion 12a, so that the envelopes l3 will assume the position shown in Figure 4, wherein the pressure of the bottommost envelope will be directed against portion Hit of table l2 adjacent the feeding mechanism I03, We have provided plate 31 of elevator 36 with an arcuate slot 44. The threaded portion of a screw 45 (Figure 7) extends upwardly through the slot and is threadably received in a knurled lock nut 46. The head of screw 45 bears against the bottom of plate 3i, whereas nut 46 bears against the top of elevator plate 31 so that when the screw and nut are tightened, elevator 36 may be held in any of its adjusted positions. Thus the elevator plate, as shown in Figure 2, may be so swung that its edge 38a forms an angle with the righthand edge of plate 3|, with the result that the stack of envelopes I3 is tilted and the pressure thereof on the bottommost envelope is transferred from por-. tion iZb of table I2 to portionlZa, and the frictional resistance between the bottommost envelope and portion I 21) of the table is reduced.

From the above it may be seen that feed hop per l4 has many characteristics of a funnel, i. e., the envelopes being delivered from the bottom of the hopper are so guided by the peculiar shapes and inclinations of the hopper sides that when the bottommost envelope is ready for delivery from the hopper it has been automatically guided into proper registry with the stripping mechanism so that it may be stripped from the bottom of the stack of envelopes without any danger of wrinkling, bulging, or tearing, and this regardless of the size of the envelope or the quantity of its contents.

Stripper As noted above, we also provide stripper l5 which operates to prevent the feeding of more than one envelope or piece of mail from hopper i4 at any one time. Also, as will be described, the stripper is adjustable so that it can just as effectively strip a thin envelope from the bottom of the stack as a thick one. 7

The stripper accordingly includes three separate and individually operable stripping units 46, 41 and 48 (Figure 10). Units 46 and 48 are substantially identical, hence it will suffice to de-. scribe unit 48 only. It is desirable to provide the central stripper unit 4? with a metallic arcuate strip and to provide units 46 and 48 with rubbertired stripper discs, for a purpose to be described.

Stripper unit 48 (Figure 10) includes a pair of spaced brackets 49 having a rubber-tired disc 50 pivotally supported therebetween by means of a bolt 59 (Fig. 14) and retained against rotation by means of a ball detent to be described. Each of brackets 49 is provided with an arm 52, Figure 11, and these arms extend to the left, as viewed in this figure, and are pivotally mounted on a pin 53 suitably secured to bracket l9. Brackets. are also provided with upwardly directed extensions which are pivotally connected as at 55 to a head 55 of an upwardly extending rod 57 which rod in turn projects through a hole in plate 58 formed as an extension of bracket 19. Disposed between head 56 and plate 58 is a compressed spring 59 which normally urges brackets 49 and accordingly disc Bil downwardly toward table 112. The upper end of rod 59 is provided with adjustable stop nuts 80. A height regulating bracket El is hinged to bracket is by a pin Bland this bracket extends substantially horizontally to the right, as viewed in Figure ll, and is provided with bifurcations, such as bifurcation 53, which straddles the upper end of rod 57 below stop nuts 60. Preferably arcuate pads 64 are provided at the sides of bifurcation 53 to engage the under-side of the lower stop nut 60.

Height regulating bracket 6| is adjusted by means'of an eccentric cam 65, which cooperates with a boss 66 on the under-side of bracket 6|. The eccentric cam 65 is pinned on a shaft 61,

which is journaled at its ends in bracket IS, the,

forward end of this shaft projecting beyond bracket is and having attached thereto a handle 58 (Figure 5)' which handle also acts as a pointer for a graduated arcuate dial 69 fastened to the front face of bracket IS. The calibrations on dial 359 are provided to indicate the setting for the stripper discs to'a proper adjustment for the thickness of mail to be treated.

To-yieldingly maintain eccentric shaft 61 in its set :position, a friction clamp 10 (Figure 6) is provided, the details of which are particularly -;described in the above-noted application of Sager et a1.

As shown in Figure 10, stripping units 46,

41 and 43 are separated so that the'elements of feeding device lilil are positioned. respectively between units 45 and 41 and units 4'! and 48. It should also be noted that center stripping unit 41 is preferably, as shown in Figure 12, an arcuate metal finger which is centrally disposed between the elements of feeding device I (Figure 10) so as to press the envelope against the feeding device, but yet not retard the feed of "the envelope by reason of excessive frictional engagement between the envelope and the metal finger; ure 1-1) includes rubber-tired disc which, with a similar disc on stripping unit 46 (Figure yieldingly holds down the bottom envelope l3 of the stack against table 12, and as shown in Figure 11, holds back the remaining envelopes *irr-the stack during the stripping operation. The center stripping unit 41. i. e., the metallic finger, *holds down the bottom envelope against feeding device Hill, thus'providing the frictional contact between the feeding device and theenvelope for stripping the envelope from the bottom of i the stack. The value of the frictional contact between the envelope and the feeding device is adjusted by setting the stop nuts 6!).

All three of the stripping units 45, 41 and 48 'areadjustable in unison by manipulation of handle 58 to raise or lower the units to suit the thickness of the particular mail matter to be treated. However, as noted hereinabove, a'stack of mail may often include envelopes of greater than average thickness and to preclude the necessity of changing the setting of handle 68 whenever an envelope of unusual thickness is to be stripped from'the bottom of the stack, we provide a finger piece 1| (Figure 12) which is attached to the under side .of bracket 5|. As bracket 6! may be pivoted about pin 62 irrespective of the setting of eccentric cam 65, the bracket may be lifted. by handle 'H to raise all of the stripping units, as desired. After the thick envelope has been stripped, handle H may then be released so that bracket 6i returns to its initial elevation, thus precluding the necessity of readjusting the entire stripping unit through the manipulation of handle 68 (Figure 5).

As shown in Figure 14, stripping disc. 50 includes a pair of metallic plates 12 which clamp between them a rubber tire 13, the plates and tire being clamped as a. unit between brackets 49 of the stripping unit. As rubber tire 13 is held against rotation as envelopes pass therebeneath, the tire, after a period of time, might become worn to such an extent as not to exert the desired pressure on the envelope. While the rubber tire is frictionally held in one position, it is rotatable to enable positioning of an unworn portion thereof over the envelopes. To assure uniform wear of the tire, and accordingly preclude the possibility of the tire being repositioned so that a worn spot is placed over the envelope, plates 12 are provided with a series of holes 14 (see also Figure 11) into which a ball 15 is adapted to be forced by leaf spring 16 secured to one of brackets 49 (Figure 15). Thus, disc 50 may be rotated as desired within brackets 49, and the registry of indexing holes 14 with ball 15 assures As noted above, stripping unit 48 (Figproper positioning of the disc to press an unworn portion thereof over the envelope.

It may now be seen that we have provideda feeding device for a mail treating machine which efiectively feeds mailing matter into the machine, without damaging the mailing matter or jamming the machine, regardless of the size or shape of the individual pieces of mail.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. An envelope feeding device for a mail treating machine or the like comprising, in combination. a table adapted to support a stack of envelopes, side and rear plates immovably mounted adjacent said table for gui'dingrespectively the leading and rear edges of the envelopes, a front plate adjustably mounted'adiacent said table for guiding the front edge of the envelopes, the bottom edge of said front plate being spaced from 'said table during the adjustment of said front plate, and means for simultaneously locking said front plate in its adjusted position and for forcing the bottom edge thereof against said table.

An envelope feeding device for a mail treating machine or the like comprising, in combination, a table adapted to support astack of envelopes, side and rear plates mounted adjacent said table for guiding respectively the leading and flap edges of the stack of envelopes, a slide bar movably mounted 'on said side plate, a front "plate mounted on said slide bar and movable therewith toward and away from said rear plate to adjust said front plate relative to said rear plate, and means for locking said slide bar in its adjusted position.

3. An envelope feeding device fora mail treating machine or the like comprising, in combination, a table adapted to support a stack of envelopes, .a rear plate immovably mounted adjacent to but spaced from said table for guiding the flap edges of the envelopes, a front plate adjustably mounted with respect to said rear plate adjacent said table and adapted to rest on said table when in its adjusted position, and means forming a lip on the lower edge of said front plate inwardly directed toward said rear plate to underlie the bottommost envelope in the stack to prevent said envelope from entering beneath said bottom edge.

4. An envelope feeding device for a mail treatil'lg machine or the like comprising, in combination, a table adapted to support a stack of envelopes, a side plate extending upwardly from said table for guiding the leading edges of the envelopes, means forming a channel on said plate, a bar slidably mounted in said channel, a front plate mounted on said bar so as to be movable therewith toward and away from said side plate, means for biasing at least one end of said bar upwardly to elevate the bottom edge of said front plate from said table whereby said front plate is freely movable over said table for purposes of adjustment, and means for locking said bar and accordingly said front plate in an adjusted position, said means also acting to force said front plate against the table top to prevent the entrance of an envelope therebetween.

5. An envelope feeding device for a mail treatdisposed on said table whereby said stack of sealed envelopes may be supported agamst rearward in clination.

. -6. An envelope feeding device for a mail treating machine or the like comprising, in combination, a table adapted to support a stack of envelopes, a rear guide plate for guiding the flap edges of a stack of envelopes, spacer means for securing said plate to said table in spaced relation thereto to provide a space for the passage of the flaps when the envelopes are sealed and their flaps are depending therefrom, and a filler plate movably secured to said table and movable into position between said table and said rear plate to close said space when sealed envelopes are stacked on said table.

7. An envelope feding device for a mail treating machine or the like comprising, in combination, a table adapted to support a stack of unsealed envelopes, the flaps of which depend downwardly therefrom in nested shingled relationship, means forming an envelope hopper on said table, one side of said hopper being spaced from one edge of said table to accommodate said depending vflaps, and means for filling said space when sealed envelopes are placed in said hopper.

, 8. An envelope feeding device for amail treating machine or the like comprising, in combination, a table adapted to support a stack of envelopes, a guide plate extending upwardly from said table for guiding the leading edges of the envelopes, said plate being inclined rearwardly of the direction of travel. of said envelopes so as to impart a longitudinal inclination to the stack of envelopes and maintain them in shingled relationship, an envelope feeding device extending through said table adjacent said guide plate, means forming an abrupt raised ledge extending transversely of said table for supporting the trailing edge of the bottommost envelope in the stack to reduce friction between the envelope and said table, means adjustably securing said ledge forming means to said table, a second guide plate extending upwardly from said ledge forming means from a point spaced from the edge thereof for supporting the trailing edges of the envelopes, and means pivotally connecting said second guide plate to said ledge forming means so that said second guide plate may be pivoted out of parallelism with said first guide plate so as to concentrate the pressure of the stack of envelopes on stack of envelopes, an envelope feeding device extending through said table for engaging and feeding from said stack the bottommost envelope, said hopper including a transverse plate slidably mounted on said table for supporting the trailing edge of the bottommost envelope out of engagement with said table, said hopper also including an upwardly curved plate for support ing the trailing ends of the envelopes in said stack above the bottommost envelope, and means pivotally securing said curved plate to said transverse plate at a point spaced from the edge of said transverse plate whereby said curved plate may be pivoted relative to said transverse plate to concentrate the pressure of the stack of envelopes on that corner of the bottommost envelope adjacent said feeding device.

CONLMODORE D. RYAN. EDWARD P. DRAKE. 

